UN Responds To Kashmir Query Amid Protests In Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir

The United Nations has reiterated its longstanding position on the Kashmir issue after a Palestinian journalist raised a question about India's decision to abrogate Article 370 during a briefing involving the UN Secretary-General's office. The UN referred to Security Council resolutions dating back to 1949 and maintained that its position on the Kashmir dispute has not changed. The issue was raised against the backdrop of unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Abdul Hamid, a Palestinian journalist, questioned the UN Secretary-General's position on New Delhi's 2019 decision to end the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. Hamid described the move as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and asked about the UN's position on the issue. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, referred to the existing Security Council resolutions concerning Kashmir and said they had not changed.

Haq also referred to concerns previously expressed by the UN Human Rights Office regarding the protection of basic rights in Kashmir. The UN's position has historically involved references to Security Council resolutions concerning the status of the region and the need for a settlement involving the people concerned. India, however, maintains that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of the country and rejects third-party mediation on the issue.

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The Kashmir question was also raised amid continuing political and security developments in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. On July 17, UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk called for calm and urged prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into deaths linked to unrest in the region. UN spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said that dozens of people, including protesters and law-enforcement personnel, had reportedly been killed since June ahead of regional elections.

The UN Human Rights Office also expressed concern over the banning of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) under anti-terrorism laws and the subsequent arrests of some of its leaders. It warned that restrictions on gatherings and internet access raised concerns over freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. The UN called for detainees' due-process rights to be protected and urged authorities to ensure access to legal representation.

The developments have once again placed the long-running Kashmir dispute in the international spotlight, with India and Pakistan continuing to hold sharply different positions on the region. While the UN has maintained its established references to Security Council resolutions and human-rights concerns, New Delhi continues to reject internationalisation of the matter. The latest exchange also comes as Pakistan-administered Kashmir faces political tensions and unrest surrounding local grievances and regional elections.

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